Such inhalators are generally configured of an aerosol generator unit and a controller unit containing the controller for controlling operation of the aerosol generator as part of the aerosol generator unit. In principle, there are two concepts for connecting the controller unit and the aerosol generator unit known in the art. One concept suggests to accommodate each unit in separate housings and electrically connect the controller and the aerosol generator by use of a relatively long (e.g. 1 m) cable. Such inhalators are for example distributed by Pari® as Eflow® Rapid or distributed by Aerogen® as Aeroneb® Go. Another disclosure in this regard may be found in US 2011/0108025 A1. Even though this kind of connection has proven beneficial in many regards, the use of a cable is under certain circumstances considered inconvenient for the user.
Other devices known in the art directly connect the aerosol generator unit and the controller unit in that both are located in a common separable housing. In those devices, the controller section is situated below the aerosol generator unit during use and when supported on a horizontal surface during non-use. Because of this configuration, the entire inhalator has a relatively large height and the center of gravity relative to a support surface is comparably high. Thus, if the inhalator is supported on the horizontal surface during non-use, the inhalator tends to tilt with the risk of dropping and damaging the inhalator. Such inhalators are for example distributed by Omron® as U22® or distributed by Health and Life as HL100.
Furthermore, either one of the above configurations have proven not very ergonomic during inhalation. The one was restricted in its use by the cable and the other was difficult to grip and perceived inconvenient due to an uncomfortable posture during inhalation.
In addition, it has been proven necessary in many regards and in order to lengthen the lifetime of the aerosol generator to provide some kind of cleaning unit. Such cleaning unit enables back flushing of the aerosol generator. Such a cleaning unit is described in more detail in EP 1 875 936 B1. Inserting the aerosol generator into the cleaning unit requires rotating the aerosol generator by 180° which poses no problem when using a cable for connection of the aerosol generator to the controller because the cable may be twisted. However, when using a configuration, in which the aerosol generator unit and the controller unit are integrated in one housing, those cleaning units may no longer be used.
When considering inhalators, in which the housing may be opened to e.g. remove the aerosol generator, the parts of the housing have to be locked when closed. For this purpose, a latch has been used comprising a lug having an opening at one end and integrally formed with one of the housing parts, and a protrusion at the other of the housing parts. The opening of the lug receives the protrusion for locking the parts together. The lug was in general integrally formed with the housing part using an integral hinge. Those integral hinges, however, had the drawback, that a “predetermined breaking line” was created at the hinge risking separation of the lug from the housing part after repeated use.